Process and apparatus for converting petroleum hydrocarbons



A ril 12, 1921.,

R.CROSS v BROCESS AND AFPAR'ATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS Filed Oct. ,1925

Ill/I111!!!) 0 11/11 IIIIII/fI/Il 1.1.-

' a proc I interior construction.

Patented Apr. I 12, 19 27 -UNITED sTA- T ES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY GROSS, OF K ANSAS crry, MrssoUnI, ASSIGNOR 'r o eAsonmnrnonucrs doMrAnY, or Nnw YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ooivvnarme Pn'rRoLnUM rrYnnocARBoNs- Applicatiim filed Octoter- 29,

This invention relates to improvements ina process, and apparatus for converting petroleur'n hydrocarbons, and refers more par-v ticuiarlyto a process in which oils are treated under temperature and pressure conditions to effect a conversion, whereby-they. have an increased amount of oils .of a lower molecular v weight and lower boiling point.

Among the salient objects of the invention are'to provide a process for producing gasoline-like bodies or light hydrocarbons having the characteristics of gasoline and adapted to be used as motor fuel; to provide ess which maybe operated continuand one in which the hydrocarbons, during thescracliing reaction, are kept. in close association with a considerable body of highly heated oil whereby a-more complete. and satisfactory conversion takes place; to provide a process in which the carbon containing oils are kept separate from the oils introduced to the system, although advantage is taken of the heat in-the body undergoing conversion, to preheat the incoming hydrocarbons; and, to provide an appara tus for carrying out this process.

In the drawings: v Fig. 1- is-.adiagrammatic side elevational viewjof the apparatus with. parts broken away from the separate stages-todisclose the ously,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken of the rotary scraper element positioned in the conversion chamber. Referring to the drawings, the apparatus consists of a heating coil 1 positioned in the furnace 2, whichis preferably heatedby" means. ofgas burnerssuch as that shown at 3. 4 is a conversion chamber positioned above the furnace. and connected by lines 5 and 6 to the heating coil. At 7 is shown'a preheater; which has communication with the conversionchamber through the lines 8 and 9'. Above the preheater is-positioned a 'dephlegmating column 10, from the top of 'which is a vapor line 11 communicating with the coil 12 positioned "in the watercooled condenser box 13. The discharge end of ,the condensing coil' has connection, through a pipe 14, with a gas separators 15. The latter is equipped with a liquid drawoff line 16 controlled by a valve 17, a pressure relief pipe 18 controlled by a valve 19 and-return line 20 connected to the gas burners3.'

positioned a partition. wall 26, which causes coil and isolating theoil undergoing converisaa. Serial No. 671,355.

Explaining now, briefly, the method in.

which the oil is treated, such hydrocarbons 1 as are normallyused as a charging stock forcracking system, are introduced through the apparatus from any convenient source through the line-21 and are forced, by means of the pump 22,. through the charging line 23 controlled by. a valve 24 to anenlar'ged inlet 25 which has communication with a preheatingtank 7.. 'Sufficientoil is charged to the systemto fill the preheater'to a height approximately that shown'in the drawing. This chamber is in free communication'with the conversion chamber 4 through the lines 9 and 8, therefore the oil willseek itslevelin the chamber 4, completely filling the heat ing coil 6. .In' this connection,- it will be noted that in the conversion chamber 4 is the oil introducedto the system to pass from the pool 4 through the heating coil 1, and

thence into the pool. 4'?,-'-thu s maintaining a continuous circulation through the heating sion in the pool 4 where the carbon deposition will take place. Normally, the'circulation will be sufiiciently rapid, due to the con vection current set up by-the heat of the fur-' nace and the liquidhead manitainedxin the preheaterf If, however, this circulation is found to be too sluggish and produce c'ar-. bon' deposition in the heating coil, a pump may be 'inserted in the line '5 to assure ,ade- A q uate velocity of the'oil through the heatingzone.

As stated, the oil is introduced to the preheater, and from this stage finds its way through the line 9 and:pool4 into the heating. coil through the line 5. In the heating coil it is raised to a conversion temperature and is discharged through the line 6 into the pool 4* whereit is collected in a sub-v stantial body and. where the major portion of the conversion" takes place. During the conversion of the oil, there is considerable. carbon deposition which will collect 'along' the bottom of the, chamber 4 in the pool 4".

This carbon is kept in a suspended condition by the action of the scraperelement 27 which is rotatable upon the discharge line 28, the latter acting as a shaft for the scraper element. This rotation is effected by means of a spiral *rotator or turbine arrangement 29; fixedly attached to the scraper and mounted in the open end ofthe discharge line shown in detail in Fig, 2. The rotation is produced ne di c a dfre mfiha ys m nei'28 acting uponfi tliespi'ral bafiie members in the rotator 29' and causing 5 an agi tion apditurbu e P 1 4%? .0 e Qum if fthe chaInber fronfthe shell and=prQdl1QiI1gB DSEaDtm Q ItQ- hB I I e,

the vaporized hydrocarbons my be directed ,;froin;the, conv ersion stage into, or through,

rb. ink to thus scraping ailyskc late on the bottoiii 0 oil body which will tend "to" keep the carbon ual ni'aterial is discharged through the line 2-8 thu in its travel; simultaneously supe eat to*the 'eil whichi-iscintroduced ysteIn and-* cooling the residual mateing discharged thr ougliit-he draw-off rage or; to 'a fcokingplaht, for re-treate fit "of the; re idual 1 hydrocarbon products.

1% 30 is-interposed inithedinei28rn-The "rsiorr chamber isiequippediwith;apresg 31 and-a 'thermo' couple' 32. I

por'sjeizolred in the reaction orc onw e S -and are hriought into I with the relativelycooler 'iiico'rh'ih oil inaintaine din-a bodyflin the i Radiating elernents 7e',.- in the re-r111 "of" rforat'e'd plates; are positioned in the" path 'of the 'Ivapors} and: are l'partially ."d'inithe oil,thereby'effecting-a bett transfer to" the liquid Oil body and effectively refluxing the 'vapors. I In 35 "t l '=-the?x' 'ap'ors' are subjected, to a action whereby "certain: of the rodiic'ts "will *be' isepara'ted out.

from he c mber; 71th vaporsrisef through the line pass -up thrOughthedephleg- Q rnator 10 ii their traveljis obstructed 'by construct-Mu dfectin I her efi i ng' action tonthe Va iibseque tQ this latterdephlegef stillnncdndensed vapors pass iifli and re siibjected to a final condensing stem. I c erta lnlng the pressures in the sepges tit-the system,- the;conversion s 31, and for determiningthe thermocouples- I 32 are: 'posireheating unitsi-I 1 The 1 novelty in 4 the invention lies princially' iii-' the efiicient utilization of the heat I f the syst'enrtogether withithe maintaining parts in suspension, The carhon laden re si dhich extends fsuhstantially the? entire of the conv'ersion and preheating whichisi co'nnectedJi-to m ,con'ven- I connect .up i the vaporgtransfer line 8. ,with a ipass over the partition wall I ontrol for the pressure maintained upon Wand preheater P are equipped-wwith 'tained' :u on' the system, will vary according toithe oi treated. It is desirable, under cer- .taimconditions, with the treatingoflkero- 6th thecpmf'rersion chamber and same and lighter refractory oils, to maintain of the carbon a suspended conditionby an automat cally operated ag tator or scraper .the naintainingJof separatejphols of oil in the liquids in the "pioois 'ar'e "kept separate and prevented from mixing; a means by which.

the preheatingor chargingpool. wherein the vapors 1 are subjected to, a; refluxingor,,con-' densingaction while. the -o il; in the .charging pool is preheated: i ,The unvaporiz ed iliquid in V the conversion pool is, eliminated and I its energyrntilizedlto retard the carbondeposig tion: iiiathegonversion,or reactiontcharnber. 1 1 A further variation which ma produce inore; eflici'ent lephleg-mation,,wouldYbe to 8 perforated-pipe qimrnersed in -.the .chargingv pool maintained: in: the chamber ;7. so, that the vapors from the conversion stage: would be percolated through the body of the, oil in place-of their passing over the surface ofthe oil,ias.,isfshowninathe drawings l" The purpose of maintaining, a' definite separation; or partition: between Qthefoils vin the. separate L pools isto prevent the mixing of the liquid: hydrocarbons which. ,wo1 1ld P od entamina on10f th -9 fi t a, charging pool with. objectionable fr eecars bon separated out i n'the, conversionpool and suspended in the oil in thc; latt r -'POQ This gcontaini nation would be obj ectionahle: to the oil-in -,the.; charging pool, pr-ior to its 5 cir-- culation through theo lie atin-g coil, deposi- I ,tion in the heating stagefwouldgprornotethe en e i en l .i a e in sli t i h productionot hot; spots, a deterioration of "the tubes zone,- B y maintainingflthefn; e

P free vapor communicat on, I adyantage nay ibe-t'aken of the hejat of; f'the conyersiongpool h l i 9m featur r s l in from the Inixing'of,the-liquids is eli ninated. n

:The agitation scraper element, {aiitoandxretardingthe carbon. deposition ,or ,ac-,

cumulatio'n inthiswlatterstage By run- -i1ing the "discharge;v line substantially throughout-the lengthjof the tWo.-pools,,the heat in :this v residual material is utilized to llhe rtein eratur'es' and ressures 11'1ai 11'- comparatively high temperatures and pres- (sures, whilewithoils more easily cracked,

temperatures and pressures may be reduced 1201 Fiche Serves-t0 cv olv he drawn- .ofi'finaterial. a

commensurate with conditions necessary 7 to produce the most'desirable conversion.

. ranging fromGOO to 900 F. and pressures 1 In cracking Mid-Continent gas oil rang,-

ing'troni 32 to 35 Baum, a satisfactory yield of high-grade distillate was obtained by treatment of the oiliinder temperatures of from 200 to 500 pounds.

I claimas myinventionz' 1. A process of producing'a turbulent con-- -dition in oil undergoing conversion in an oil cracking system, (-30TlS1St]Ilg'1l1- ut1l1 7,1D the energy made available by the release of pressure in Withdrawing liquid products 1 from the system to oil body.

'2. A i'ocess for retarding the accumulamechanically agitate the tion of carbon separated 'from tl'ieoil in a cracking system during conversion, consist- V ingin utilizing the energy made available bythe release of pressure n withdrawing conversion products from the system 'toi mechanically agitate and maintain the oil in a turbulent conditionand retain the sepa' rated carbon in suspension inthe oil.

8. A process ton CQIIYGItHlg petroleum hydrocarbons consisting in charging the 011 to an initial stage in which the'oil accumu' lates .in a pool, thencethrough a heating stageand then to aconversion stage, maintaining the liquidproducts *inthe initial sta e and the conversion sta e se arate with open vapor communication therebetween passing the evolved vapors from the conversion stage through the-initial stage con-f taining the pool 0t relatively cooler oil, thence to dephlegmating and condensing.

means for maintaining oil in separate pools,

of means for circulating-the oil from the initial pool through a heating means, thence to a subsequent pool wherein the conversion takes place, a communicating means between the separate pools whereby the vapors evolved in the latter pool are directed to the initial pool, a dephlegmating and condensing means serially connected to the initial, pool for treating the hydrocarbon va pors, and means for drawing off the unvaporized products from the conversion pool, said means being adaptedto transmit heat from the withdrawn products to the oil in the initial pool.

5. A process for retarding the accumula-- tion of carbon separated from the oil in a cracking system during conversion, consisting in utilizing the energy made-available by the release of pressure in withdrawing conversion products from the system] to mechanically agitate'an'd maintain the oil in a turbulent condition, and the carbon .in suspension and the. collecting surfaces scraped free of deposited material.

6. In an apparatus for convertingpet leum hydrocarbons, the combination with means for maintaining oil inseparate pools,

of means for circulating. the oil from the initial pool through a heating means, thence to a subsequent pool wherein the conversion takes place, a coinmunicating ineans between the separate pools whereby'the vapors evolved in the' latter pool are"directed to theinitial pool, a deplilegmating and condensing means serially connected 'to-the: initial pool for treating the hydrocarbon .vapors, and means for drawing .Ofi. the oil; from the conversion stage, andgmeans for utilizing the energy oftlie drawn-ofi liquids H to produce aturbiilentcondition of the oil accumulation therein.

'in' the conversion stage and retard carbon 7. A process of converting petroleum hydrocarbons, comprisiiig the steps of passing oil successively through" a :-heateX- vaporizing stage, maintaining the heat exchanger and vaporizing stage in openivapor communication, passing the evolved vapors changer, a heating stage and a reaction or from the vaporizingstage through theheat I I i'ng stages and utilizing the energy made available by the release inpressure in with drawing liquid products from the system to retard the accumulation by deposition of the' separated carbon.

8.- -A process of convertingflpetroleum hy drocarboiis, comprising the steps of passing oil successively through a. heat. exchanger,

exchanger, thence to refluxing and condensa heating stage and a reactionvaporizing stage, maintaining the heat exchanger and vapor zingstage in open vapor com uni-' cation, passing the evolved vapors 'from' he 1 vaporizing stagethrough the h'e'atexchanger,

thence to refluxing andcondensing stages and utilizing. the energymade available by I the release in pressure in withdrawing liquid products fromthe system to retard the accumulation by deposition of the separated carbon, and facilitating'and promoting the heat transfer between the'vapors and liquid in the heat exchanger stage by radiating elements positioned partially-in the liquid and vapor spaces.

' 9. Anapparatus'of the character described, comprising separate communicating heat exchanger and conversion means, a heating element, meansfor circulating preheated oil through said heating eleniapt to the conversion means, dephlegm'ating and condensing elements and connectionsthrough which the evolved vapors are passed through the I heat exchanger'thereto, a draw of! line from l0 ing. elements'and connect-ions whereby the the character" de- .ments, and means for using energy .made .a-vailableby the release in pressure in :wit'h evolvedvapors-age passedfrorn 'the eonvetsigin means thl pugh the heat.;eizchanger to said dephlegmating and condensing eledrawing liquid produets from the? system to 'retard'accumulation of carbon inthe conversion means. Y

ROY (moss. 

